topic Re: Anyone Remember When The Q Had Fancy Evening Clothing? in Fashion

Anyone Remember When The Q Had Fancy Evening Clothing?

SXMGirl — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 19:13:24 GMT

Years ago, Kathy Levine used to have Saturday night shows that featured really nice evening wear. I still have a Victor Costa sheath that is beautiful, gave awaty a sequined dress (wish I had it back since I could now wear it), and other apparel that was dressy. I think that it would especially be nice around the holidays to have some fancier outfits.

Re: Anyone Remember When The Q Had Fancy Evening Clothing?

Sweet_Serenity — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 20:37:07 GMT

Re: Anyone Remember When The Q Had Fancy Evening Clothing?

Vivian — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 19:20:14 GMT

I definitely remember when QVC sold beautiful evening wear. I bought a jacket or two years ago. I distinctly remember a gorgeous sequined jacket that I loved but never bought because there was no occasion where I could wear it. It really was lovely. Our lifestyles are just not conducive to that kind of clothing. Almost everything is casual these days. I do miss getting dressed for dinner at a special restaurant. I do dress nicely on those occasions but a sequined jacket would look ridiculous. I'd feel like someone out of Dynasty.

Re: Anyone Remember When The Q Had Fancy Evening Clothing?

ALRATIBA — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 19:20:23 GMT

Victor Costa "Occasion" ... he had some really nice things. I gave away so many of the VC items I had.

I miss some of the more "artsy" clothing that QVC used to carry ... Sandy Starkman, Mary McFadden, Indigo Moon, Look East, Koos ...

I'm still wearing those that I bought year ago!

Re: Anyone Remember When The Q Had Fancy Evening Clothing?

winamac1 — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 19:20:54 GMT

I used to love some of Victor Costa's clothes! I still own a few of his jackets that I did not donate.

They were lovely!

Re: Anyone Remember When The Q Had Fancy Evening Clothing?

Krimpette — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 19:23:57 GMT

Lives are so much more casual these days. Not sure how much of a market there would be today for evening clothing.

Re: Anyone Remember When The Q Had Fancy Evening Clothing?

SXMGirl — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 19:51:55 GMT

@ALRATIBA, I still have Mary McFadden beautiful cuffs and still wear a Koos jacket. i do not often have an opportunity to dress up except for a few holiday events and a dinner or two when we cruise.

Re: Anyone Remember When The Q Had Fancy Evening Clothing?

Group 5 minus 1 — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 20:03:22 GMT

I have been watching the Q for over 20 years but I do not remember evening clothes. I'll have to think about it.

Re: Anyone Remember When The Q Had Fancy Evening Clothing?

VanSleepy — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 20:32:53 GMT

Kind of O/T but... I was searching for something here, don't even remember what, and as soon as I typed in "mo" it auto filled with Mother of the Bride Dresses! Out of curiosity I clicked on it and it said over 1,000 matches lol From what I saw there were none actually - it was mother of pearl jewelry.

Re: Anyone Remember When The Q Had Fancy Evening Clothing?

chrystaltree — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 21:03:50 GMT

Vaguely but that was a very, very long time ago. Obviously, those things didn't sell well because if they did....Qvc would still sell fancy schamcy dress up clothes.

Re: Anyone Remember When The Q Had Fancy Evening Clothing?

lulu2 — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 21:41:10 GMT

Victor Costa (true gentleman) made such lovely clothes. I too have kept a number of his items.

I purchased an exquisitely made beaded and sequin jacket as well as a pair of black crepe chiffon palazzo pants. I still have them and wore them to a holiday party this year. I bought them from Kathy Levine back in the mid 90s. When I saw a similar outfit in a high end catalog, I went searching in my cedar chest and found them.

HSN sold dressier lines also. (Something Queen I think)

Some of us still dress up for weddings, dinners, etc. I wore suits and heels to work. (and I was a teacher) I'm not a fan of how casual things have become. I went to a funeral today and could not believe how some attendees were dressed. (and it had nothing to do with the economy)

I'll jump down from my soap box now.

Re: Anyone Remember When The Q Had Fancy Evening Clothing?

Kachina624 — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 22:00:10 GMT

@ncascade wrote:
I have been watching the Q for over 20 years but I do not remember evening clothes. I'll have to think about it.

@Group 5 minus 1 I have to say I don't remember it either. I do remember Victor Costa but never watched his shows because I didn't like his line. Bob Mackie has always had a lot of sequins and glitter but I don't remember anything fancier. I remember that horrid Koos (so rude to everyone) and Indigo Moon but the weren't fancy

Re: Anyone Remember When The Q Had Fancy Evening Clothing?

Love my grandkids — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 22:31:47 GMT

Never watched on Saturday nights, too busy with DH and/or DS!

Re: Anyone Remember When The Q Had Fancy Evening Clothing?

Trix — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 23:49:03 GMT

@Kachina624 @Group 5 minus 1, I love it when something comes up which makes me put my memory bank to work. My doctor says it's good for me . Up until the late 90s early 2000s, QVC had quite a bit of formal programming. For The Elegance of 18kt., Gold Rush, Nolan Miller, Kenneth Jay Lane, Joan Rivers jewelry shows, and Shoes on Sale, the models and host wore formal gowns. If the host was male he wore a dark full suit -- and sometimes for extra special occasions a tuxedo.

Agreed, Koos and Indigo Moon were not part of the dress up department of QVC. The designers I distinctly recall who brought lame, sequins and sparkle, and silks and velvets for evening wear over the years were Victor Costa, Bob Mackie, Kay Unger, Mary McFadden, DVF Silk Assets, the other silk line designed by (Marvelush) Beth Terrell. There were others which came and went. Silk Assets left QVC by '98. It resurfaced for a few years on HSN before DVF went back to exclusively couture design for the likes of Bergdorf and Neiman-Marcus. The shift in lifestyle dresing away from dressing up -- even for going out-- reduced the market for those wanting to regularly buy that type of clothing. Understandably, QVC started to focus their fashion hours more on their D&C, Susan Graver, and Quacker Factory brands during this time. Only Costa and Mackie stuck around from the pack, and they shifted offerings to simpler styles using embroidery and print for the embellishments on polyester fabrications. By the time Louis Dell Olio came aboard in 2000, Q had gone casual. In fact, Louis' first show was broadcast from the casual setting of a beach resort hosted by Judy Crowell.

Costa didn't shift as well as Mackie, who even introduced fleece and french terry to his line around this time. Costa had some beautiful jackets on QVC. I vividly recall his jeans jackets with floral embroidered plackets, and a knee length Mandarin styled cotton pique blazer also with floral emboirdery along the front panel. I owned both of them in white and literally wore them out. I still have a red poly wrap with kimono sleeves from Costa. The wrap and sleeve style make the jacket work within multiple sizes, so as long as I stay within size 0 to 4, I can wear it.

Re: Anyone Remember When The Q Had Fancy Evening Clothing?

Kachina624 — Wed, 12 Apr 2017 00:07:53 GMT

@Trix I remember most of those things you mention but don't recall "formal" evenings. Remember when they had the pianist who played during The Elegance of 18k Gold? One night just before the show started they announced he'd been killed in an auto accident on his way to the studio. What a somber show that was.

If I'd bought formal wear during that time, I'd still be waiting for its first wearing.

Re: Anyone Remember When The Q Had Fancy Evening Clothing?

Trix — Wed, 12 Apr 2017 00:12:48 GMT

@Kachina624, I consider the 4-hour Gold Rush and Elegance shows to be a formal evening on QVC. The other mentioned jewelry shows usually had two hours of airtime. If the Fiday night 7:00pm to 11:00pm programming block featured 2-hours of Bob Mackie followed by Nolan Miller jewelry that qualified as a formal evening to me.

Re: Anyone Remember When The Q Had Fancy Evening Clothing?

jpie — Wed, 12 Apr 2017 00:15:36 GMT

I remember some of those bedazzled evening gowns. In fact, one of them was shown in a flashback segment in the movie "Joy." It was black with heavily beaded/sequined embellishments.

Nolan Miller was such a classy gentleman. I never purchased his items, but I enjoyed and loved to watch when he was on the air (especially with Mary Beth).

Re: Anyone Remember When The Q Had Fancy Evening Clothing?

lulu2 — Wed, 12 Apr 2017 00:26:29 GMT

@Trix wrote:

Costa had some beautiful jackets on QVC. I vividly recall his jeans jackets with floral embroidered plackets, and a knee length Mandarin styled cotton pique blazer also with floral emboirdery along the front panel. I owned both of them in white and literally wore them out. I still have a red poly wrap with kimono sleeves from Costa. The wrap and sleeve style make the jacket work within multiple sizes, so as long as I stay within size 0 to 4, I can wear it.

I still have that longer mandarian style VC hanging in a closet. I have both black and white. I found pictures on eBay of some of the other jackets I still have.

This was velvet.

His Jeans jacket came in many colors.

Re: Anyone Remember When The Q Had Fancy Evening Clothing?

Kachina624 — Wed, 12 Apr 2017 00:48:34 GMT

Nolan Miller's jewelry seemed to be heavily infused with Nickle. I bought one piece and acquired a fiery rash under it. No more of that.

Re: Anyone Remember When The Q Had Fancy Evening Clothing?

Kachina624 — Wed, 12 Apr 2017 00:50:18 GMT

@lulu2 Thanks for posting pictures of all the beautiful jackets.